How Much Sugar Is in Oatmeal?
Plain cooked oatmeal has about 1 g of sugar per bowl — but flavoured instant packets can add 12 g or more.
Low sugar
1g sugar
in 1 cup cooked, plain (234 g) · about 0.2 teaspoons
- Per serving
- 1 g
- Per 100 g
- 0.5 g
- Type
- Natural sugar
- In teaspoons
- ≈ 0.2 tsp
An easy fit for a low-sugar day.
Plain rolled or steel-cut oatmeal has almost no sugar — about 1 g per cooked cup — plus 4 g of fibre that keeps you full for hours. It's a genuinely excellent low-sugar breakfast.
The problem is flavoured instant packets — 'maple & brown sugar', 'apples & cinnamon' — which add 12 g of sugar or more per sachet. Start with plain oats and sweeten with fruit or cinnamon and you get all the benefit with none of the added sugar.
Lower-sugar swaps
- Use plain oats and top with berries or a chopped date
- Add cinnamon and a spoon of peanut butter instead of a sugar sachet
Frequently asked questions
- Is instant oatmeal high in sugar?
- Flavoured instant packets often are — 12 g or more per sachet. Plain oats have about 1 g; the sugar comes from what's added.
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Sugar values from USDA FoodData Central; actual amounts vary by brand, ripeness, and recipe. Last updated 2026-07-21.